Established in 1967 as one of the original members of the ABA, the Indiana Pacers who play in the Central Division of the NBA’s Eastern Conference are the only former ABA team that has not relocated or changed names. Most of the franchise’s success came when they played in the American Basketball Association, winning three titles and six conference titles.
During their history, the Pacers have had a number of great players, and as a result, five of their jersey numbers have been retired. In this blog post, we will take a brief look at each of these players and some of their most impressive stats and accolades.
The List of Indiana Pacers Retired Jersey Numbers
34 – Mel Daniels
Basketball Hall of Famer Mel Daniels wore number 34 during his nine seasons with the Indiana Pacers. The two-time ABA MVP who was also known as “Big Mel” or “Big D” led the league in rebounding three times. He was also a four-time ABA All-Star and helped the Pacers win three ABA championships during their dynasty era. His number was retired by the team on Nov. 2, 1985.
31 – Reggie Miller
Legendary Indiana Pacers player Reggie Miller wore number 31 during his 18 seasons with the team. He was once the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made but is now fourth on the list behind other greats like Ray Allen, James Harden, and Steph Curry.
Reggie has had some of the most iconic moments in NBA history, including his 8 unanswered points in 9 seconds against the New York Nicks which earned him the nickname “Knick Killer”. Reggie who some believe is the greatest Indiana pacer player of all time was a five-time NBA All-Star and helped the Pacers reach the NBA Finals in 2000. His number was retired into the rafters on Mar. 30, 2006
35 – Roger Brown
Hall of Famer Roger Brown is one of only 9 Pacer players who have been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Brown wore number 35 during his six seasons with the Indiana Pacers. He was a four-time ABA All-Star, an ABA Playoffs MVP in 1970, and helped the Pacers win three ABA championships.
30 – George McGinnis
Former Indiana Pacers player and Indianapolis native George McGinnis wore number 30 during his six seasons with the team. The 6-8 forward was a two-time ABA MVP, one-time ABA Playoffs MVP in 1973, and was also a five-time ABA All-Star who helped the Pacers win three ABA championships.
529 – Bobby Leonard
Bobby “Slick” Leonard is the only coach on this list. The Indiana native led the Pacers to 529 regular-season wins, 69 playoff wins, 5 ABA Finals appearances, and three ABA titles as the head coach of the franchise. Regards as the greatest coach in ABA history the Indiana Pacers have retired the number 529 jersey in his honor.
Potential Future Indiana Pacers Retired Numbers
45 – Rik Smits
Rik Smits nicknamed “the Dunking Dutchman” played 12 seasons for the Indiana Pacers, all with the number 45. The former NBA All-Star is the Pacers’ all-time leader in blocked shots.
Smits is one of the most popular players in Pacers’ history and is considered one of the best players in franchise history. He is also one of the most popular Dutch NBA players to ever play the game. Some believe that it is only a matter of time before his number is retired by the Pacers.
So there you have it, the complete list of Indiana Pacers retired jersey numbers. We hope you enjoyed this brief look at some of the great players in the team’s history. Thanks for reading!
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